Billfish Family
(Istiopherinae)

Billfish Family, (Istiopherinae): The Billfish Istiopherinae sub-family are members of the Xiphiidae Family that includes the billfishes, marlins, sailfishes, and swordfishes, all large, oceanic, pelagic surface fish found in all tropic and semitropical waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. In Mexico, they are known as Picudos.

The Xiphiidae are characterized by their long bills which they use as spears to attack and stun their prey.

They are large oceanic pelagic surface fish found in all tropic and semitropical waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. They all have round bills, or swords, teeth are present and two dorsal fins that are close together the first of which has a very long base. They have pelvic fins and double keels on the base of the strongly forked tails. They are active, voracious predators that use the extended “bill” to attack and stun prey, generally fishes and squids.

Globally there are 6 known istiophoridae species in 5 genera and all 6 species are found in Mexican fishing waters of the Pacific. None are considered to be “good eating” and we strongly urge that as many fish as possible are handled as “catch and release.”

Billfish found in Mexican waters include all six species of Istiopherinae:

Black Marlin, Makaira indica.
Blue Marlin, Makaira mazara.
Broadbill Swordfish, Xiphias gladius.
Sailfish, Istiophorus platypterus.
Shortbilled Spearfish, Tetrapturus angustirostris.
Striped Marlin, Tetrapturus audax.

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